CBS leadership was faulted by Shari Redstone for mishandling the aftermath of the Ta-Nehisi Coates interview controversy.
Contrary to what CBS news managers told their staff on Monday, Redstone stated that she believed Dokoupil did not breach editorial regulations during the interview.
"I believe Tony did an excellent job with the interview. He demonstrated how civil discourse should be conducted and displayed accountability. He showed that there's a balance of power and that everyone, including him, is accountable. I was extremely proud of his work," Redstone shared during a panel at AdWeek in New York on Wednesday.
Redstone added that she had expressed her support for Dokoupil privately but was happy that CBS aired Coates to discuss his new book, "The Message."
"However, we should also allow others to question and challenge him, just as we do with everyone else," Redstone mentioned.
Coates, a National Book Award laureate, released "The Message" last week, where he portrayed Israel's treatment of Palestinians as a moral offense, one that many Americans find challenging to confront directly.
During Monday's editorial meeting, CBS News leaders claimed that Dokoupil had breached the network's editorial policies during the Coates interview, as he compared the book to 'extremist' writings.
On Wednesday, Redstone admitted that the network leaders made a "blunder" in the way they handled the controversy that arose after the interview.
"I've been in talks with the CEOs. I've been collaborating with the woman who conducts a lot of our diversity training, and we all agree that this was not managed effectively, and we all believe that something must be amended," Redstone revealed.
Redstone expressed her belief that the business decision to suspend Dokoupil after the Coates interview was a mistake, as it was covered extensively in the media.
In light of the media attention, Redstone emphasized the importance of maintaining transparency within the business, ensuring that CBS Media maintains its commitment to open dialogue and fairness.
